


Make Ends Meet

by jamest_kirk



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, POV Multiple, Tarsus IV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-19 04:29:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11890020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamest_kirk/pseuds/jamest_kirk
Summary: The moon on Tarsus IV exploded quickly and without warning on a summer night. The aftermath of the event separates three best friends, who all venture their own way to save their planet, themselves, and each other.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Altered events of Tarsus IV, written to suit my own craving of having triumvirate experience the events of Tarsus instead of just Jim. 
> 
> If you're interested, I write bullet point stories/headcanons on Tumblr. [Hit me up if you have any prompts. ](http://jamest-kirk.tumblr.com/tagged/headcanons)

The moon on Tarsus IV exploded quickly and without warning on a summer night. It had been high in the sky before it died, and in its full glory it cast an eerie glow over the corn fields that spread far and wide into the horizon. Jim Kirk found himself among the tall stalks, moving quickly and quietly, for it was technically past curfew already, and getting caught meant certain detention. His father was a stern man; a wintered farmer who expected Jim to grow up and pursue the same career, as if he ever had any choice in the matter. Detention meant doing his father’s work unpaid, and Jim rather avoided spending hot summer days out in the fields. Still, because he had agreed to go out at night, he ventured on.

Pushing aside the corn stalks rising above him, though, he quickly came to realize that he was not here alone. Jim was being followed. With the wind rustling through trees and the fields alike, it was difficult to tell, but a few stalks nearby were forcefully pushed aside in a pace that didn’t match the wind. As Jim stopped walking and listened, sure enough, he heard footsteps. Boots, quickly stepping on the dirt and plants that grew there, and he was heading straight for Jim.

Briefly, his pursuer stalled, and Jim thought the other might be considering turning around and going back home – for who would venture out into the corn fields at night? Some leaves were sharp against his bare arms, there were insects crawling both on the ground as well as in the soon-to-be harvested plants around them. As nice as this idea had been – sneaking out unseen through the cornfields, Jim was regretting it already. Hopefully, so was the person following him. They didn’t; the footsteps picked up their pace again. Faster, louder, rapidly drawing closer, but Jim did not flee. Instead, he turned around to face his follower.

 

“Jim!” A voice called out, surprisingly high pitched for his usual lower southern drawl, and Jim let out a relieved sigh.

“Hello, Bones,” he said, a smile easy on his lips as the other pushed away enough plants to stand in front of him. In the light coming from the moon, Leonard “Bones” McCoy looked almost younger than he really was – a man in his late-twenties, clean shaven cheeks, and a permanently worried frown plastered on his face.

“Remind me again why we’re doing this at midnight, while the whole God damn town is stressed up to their eyeballs about the harvest this year?” Leonard asked, and Jim stared at the other in disbelief.

“This was your idea,” he reminded him, “a ‘sentimental gesture’, I think you called it? Mr. Sensitive.”

“Oh, don’t start,” Leonard replied, pointing a finger at Jim’s face as he spoke, “I suggested a get-together, not breaking the law.”

“It’s only curfew, Bones,” Jim said. In a swift motion, he turned back around, facing their destination. “You coming?”

 

Together they kept moving, enjoying nothing but each other's silent company. They had to be quiet, because neither boy looked forward to getting caught. Leonard, with his spotless record, maybe even less so than Jim.

Finally, the ground leaned slightly askew, tilting upwards on to a small hill. The slope was gentle enough for Jim and Leonard to climb, but even with the help of modern technologies, the farm fields curved around such hills in the areas. It was easier on the equipment that way, and on the farmers having to ride them. The grass grew wilder, the only times these greens would see a lawn mower, it'd be in the shape of goats or cows, or the occasional horse. Not this hill, however, and so it remained wild and unkempt. Just how Jim liked it.

On top of the hill stood two Elm trees, bright and green in their summer lush. Under those trees was another man. This one; an alien, though aside from the occasional mockery, neither Jim nor Leonard ever saw him as such.

Spock was born on planet Vulcan, but just like the other two, he had lived on Tarsus IV since he could barely walk. Jim didn’t even remember Spock not being a part of his life, even if they did grow up disliking each other at first. Jim was prone to getting into trouble, after all, and as an effect – so did those he surrounded himself with. Spock, in class often seated next to him, was one of those people. How Leonard managed to keep his record as clean as he had was beyond even the Vulcan.

 

“You’re late,” Spock said when Jim and Leonard arrived. They sat down on the cool grass, and Spock pulled a bottle of brandy from his bag.

“We’re not late, you’re simply always early,” Leonard replied, though he happily reached out to take that bottle out of Spock’s hands. His fingers skillfully unwrapped the lid, taking that first swig of it himself.

“We’re breaking curfew, we’re better off being early rather than late. Patrol will find us here eventually,” Spock said, taking the bottle when Leonard handed it to him. Taking a sip from it, his face turned a little sour. Spock wasn’t one for drinking. Claimed he wasn’t one for sentimentality either, but both Jim and Leonard knew better. Meeting up here, under the trees of their childhood, it was all Spock’s idea.

“They won’t patrol here,” Jim assured the two of them, “every damn guard in town is preparing for the career ceremony tomorrow. They don’t have the time to look for wanderers this far out. Not tonight.” He reached out, prying the bottle from Spock’s hands, and he took a large swig from it.

“Jim, you know you’re not twenty-one yet,” Leonard warned Jim, though there was an easy smile on Leonard’s lips that indicated he wasn’t about to stop Jim from drinking.

“One more week,” Jim said, “I think we can ignore those backwards Earth laws for the time being, don’t you think? Tonight is special. Who knows where we’ll end up tomorrow.”

“You? Farming, probably,” Spock replied to that.

“I could end up in law enforcement.”

“No,” Spock and Leonard said simultaneously, and Spock continued; “you won’t.”

 

They were right. Jim had a track record. Not a bad one, but one nonetheless. Rules were never his favorite thing if they failed to make sense to him, and so on more than one occasion Jim had been brought home by a guard post-curfew. He’d been caught breaking and entering the school building at night. He stole his father’s car to go for a joyride. Jim Kirk spoke before thinking. He punched a guy in the face for bothering a girl. The latter was something he was quite proud of, even if it left a stain on his records and reduced his chances of ending up in law enforcement – which, compared to a lot of available jobs on Tarsus IV, was one of the more exciting ones.

 

“Hey,” Leonard said, “but if anyone here is going to make farming more effective, it’ll be you, you lazy bastard. You’ll invent a way to do farming while sleeping.”

Jim laughed at that, taking another swig of the brandy before passing the bottle on to Leonard. Perhaps farming wasn’t even that bad. His father was one, and though he was often tired, he did seem to enjoy that peaceful lifestyle on the countryside. No hassle of the city. More freedom, so long as there was a harvest by the end of the season. Freedom was something worth chasing, Jim thought.

“And who knows,” Spock continued, “although the chances are improbable at best, we won’t know our future careers until the ceremony tomorrow.”

“You’ll come, right?” Jim asked Leonard, the only one out of the three of them to already have been through the ceremony. He knew his career as a doctor was set in high school already. It suited him well, and after graduation a couple years ago, Tarsus IV had been in dire need of doctors. Many were chosen to study that path that year. Few succeeded. Leonard was one of those who did.

“Yeah,” Leonard replied, smile easy on his lips, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

 

They stared at the sky in a peaceful silence from that moment on, enjoying each other’s company for just a little longer before they had to go back and face inevitable reality tomorrow morning. Jim found himself staring at the planet’s closest moon; peaceful in the night sky, just like the three of them down below. Briefly, his gaze fell on Spock’s face, whose eyes were closed as he leaned back in the soft grass. He looked entirely peaceful – more so than the otherwise very disciplined boy he came to know. Leonard didn’t look at the moon, or at his friends. He pulled out his Personal Access Display Device, and the light cast by just the moon was interrupted by the display of his tablet. His face lit up by the blueish light, enhancing unflattering features of Leonard’s otherwise casually attractive face. Chuckling at the sight of it, Jim leaned in and grabbed the bottle that was now seated firmly next to the young doctor. He placed the rim of the bottle to his lips and took a large swig, his gaze moved back towards the moon. When he did, he discovered she wasn’t there.

In her place, a cloud of dust, rocks, and debris. Jim blinked a couple times, unsure if whether or not he was actually seeing this correctly. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words left his mouth. Not even a sound. Finally able to tear his gaze away, he looked at the other two boys, and he found both of them staring up as well; both their faces struck in a mix of awe and horror.

"Spock...?" Jim finally managed, because Spock had always been the smartest one of the three of them - at least when it came to science.

"I have nothing," Spock replied.

"I do," Leonard said, "the freaking moon's gone."

 

If anything was a cue for them to return home; the moon blowing up was one. Scrambling to their feet, they hurried down that hill and through the corn field to get back to their homes.

"How bad is it when the moon blows up?" Jim asked.

"Tarsus has a second moon," Spock replied, "so probably not as catastrophic as one would think."

"The moon blew up, Spock," Leonard countered, hands pushing away cornstalks as he walked in front of them, "that's bad."

"Not necessarily catastrophic," Spock said, "but we'll find out soon." It was Spock’s way of saying ‘ _we don’t know and speculating is pointless_ ’ and for that he was right.

 

There was a commotion on the streets; guards shouting at people to go back indoors and turn on their devices for news updates whenever they would be revealed to the public. People obeyed; they had no reason nor authority to deny the word of a guard. Luckily, the commotion made for a good distraction to slip back into their homes.

"So," Spock started, "we'll see each other at the ceremony tomorrow?"

"If the planet's still standing by then," Leonard replied.

"Again, doctor," Spock said, "the moon disappearing doesn't mean the world will cease to exist, too."

"We don't know that," Leonard said, but Jim reached out for Leonard's arm and pulled him away before they could start this whole argument for a second time.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Spock," Jim promised. With his free hand, he gently squeezed Spock’s arm as a goodbye, and then they separated ways with the Vulcan.

 

Leonard lived closer to Jim, only a few houses further along the same street, so they went on their way together quickly and quietly. A guard told them to hurry back inside, and Leonard politely apologized and assured him they'd do just that, and they went further on their way. No one was any wiser they had been out in the fields a few minutes prior.

Jim's gaze kept returning to the sky, hoping he'd see the moon again. It felt darker without it; countless stars not providing any of illuminated glow they were used to. Tarsus' second moon stood further away, and though she still provided some moonlight on their planet, it didn't feel the same at all.

 

"Do you want to spend the night?" Jim asked as they arrived at his house, but Leonard shook his head.

"I should check up on my parents," he said, "but we'll see each other tomorrow. Spock is right. Even if there was some disaster happening, the government won't tell us shit. That meaningless ceremony will probably still happen, and it'll still be mandatory for everyone in the town to attend." Jim nodded to that, and then he reached out to pull his best friend into a quick hug. He wasn't sure why - and this kind of affection didn't usually happen between the two of them, but in the back of his mind Jim worried that perhaps something could happen tonight with the moon being gone, and if it did, a hug felt like a good way to wordlessly express how much Leonard meant to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jim agreed, and with that, the two separated ways.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

There was a light burning inside the house when Jim approached it; likely his mother, who must have found out he sneaked out of the house again to hang out with his friends. She would usually wait for him to return before going to bed herself, but then her job as an elementary school teacher allowed her to sleep in longer than her husband. George Kirk got up at the very crack of dawn every day of the year, to work on the fields owned by the family, and so Jim’s absence should have gone unnoticed by his father.

 

As he did every time he was out past curfew, Jim walked around to their small backyard, quietly stepping on to the porch that led to the door to the kitchen. He knew just how to step on to the old wooden planks of the veranda to avoid it groaning under his weight too much, or how far to open the door to prevent it creaking too loudly. His father wouldn’t have to wake for Jim’s misbehaviors. Usually, he would be greeted by his mother then. A stern look, a quiet talking to, and then a smile. Sometimes a sigh and a; “ _you remind me of your dad when he was younger_ ” and then she’d kiss his forehead and send him off to bed.

Tonight, though, everything was different. First, the moon. Now, his father was sitting at the dining table. Elbows on the table, hands in his hair. His mother sat next to him, holding onto her husband with a look on her face that was worried rather than stern, and when the kitchen door quietly closed behind him, she instantly looked up. Their eyes met, and she quietly nodded towards the door again, like she was trying to tell him something, but Jim didn’t know until he took a few steps closer to them. By then it was too late.

There was another man in the room, standing at grandfather’s old clock. He seemed to study the old woodwork of it, but the moment Jim stepped forward, he turned around. On his chest was a badge pinned; similar to that of local patrol guards. This man was part of the Tarsus IV Justice Department, but he was not from this town. The colors of his badge were a greyish blue, instead of their town’s green. This man came from the capital.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man said, taking a few steps into Jim’s direction, “I am officer Hale.” Jim didn’t move. Instead, he looked behind the officer. Two more guardsmen were there, quietly waiting for their superior’s cue. This couldn’t be about Jim breaking curfew. It had never been such a big deal before.

“What’s going on?” Jim asked, “is this because of the moon?”

“The moon,” officer Hale repeated, “such a tragedy. Governor Kodos will undoubtedly issue a statement as soon as he can. It’s not why I’m here. I’m here for you.”

“Why?” Jim asked. A quick glance at his parents showed his father visibly tensed. His hands were resting on the dining table, but he clenched them together into fists so tight his knuckles started turning white. “Dad?”

“Why don’t you sit down?” His mother suggested, though the tone in her voice told him this wasn’t optional. Jim sat down next to his father, eyes back on the officer in the room with them.

“By the governor’s official request, I was sent here to take you home, Jim,” officer Hale said.

Jim was silent, waiting for another comment. A punchline, a joke, anything. Instead, he got silence. So Jim spoke: “I am home.”

“No,” Hale said, “your real home, in the capital. With your real father.”

That hit a nerve. Both with Jim, who didn’t even understand what was going on, and with his father. Because George was up in an instant, and he stood tall in front of the intruder in his house. Jim was up as well, despite his mother grasping at his arm to keep him down.

 

“You listen to me, you glorified clerk,” George said, and though he curled his fingers into the fabric of Hale’s collar, holding him close, all Officer Hale did was raise his hand, so the two guards kept their position, “the Governor may call himself the father of this boy, but he’s not his dad. He don’t know what Jim’s like, and he’s not shown interest in the past Goddamn twenty-one years. Jim is _my_ boy, and you’re not taking him away from his family because the group of washed up old men in the capital ruling this land say so.”

Hale reached out, awfully calm, and rested his hand over George’s. Despite his father being almost a head taller than him, he looked not one bit intimidated by him. That, while Jim usually found himself intimidated by his father being far less angry. “Are you refusing a direct order from the governor himself, Mr. Kirk?” Hale asked.

“You’re God damn right I am,” George said.

“Dad,” Jim started, his voice sounding surprisingly soft, but he couldn’t seem to make himself louder. For someone who actively went out looking for trouble in his teenage years, Jim now found himself in unfamiliar waters, and he wasn’t sure how to tread further. His head also kept repeating those words in his head. His _real_ father. George wasn’t his real father. Was Winona even his real mom?  

“I see,” Hale said, interrupting Jim’s train of thoughts, and he pried his father’s hand away from his shirt, then took a step backwards. His hand brushed over the wrinkles on his shirt, a lazy attempt to straighten himself out. “I’m sorry to hear you’re so actively participating in treason.”

“No,” Jim said instantly, cold sweat running down his back at how this conversation was unveiling itself. Too much information about him was being thrown into the room, like a mess of broken puzzle pieces, and Jim was trying to put these pieces together amidst an earthquake. “Please, Mr. Hale, I’ll come with you.”

Officer Hale glanced at Jim briefly, the smile that formed on his lips looked forced like that of a salesman. Behind him, the two guards had their hands on their weapon. “You’re a lucky man, Mr. Kirk,” he said, turning his attention back to George, “Jim here saved your life. Don’t make me regret not executing you right here, right now.”

Jim’s hand reached out for his father’s arm, pulling him backwards to keep him from doing anything else impulsive. Biological father or not (definitely not, as Jim figured out), some traits were shared between the two of them, and it took all his strength to keep both himself and his father from punching this man in the face.

“Ten minutes,” Hale said, turning his back to the two of them, he stepped towards the front door, “you best say your goodbyes. With the moon gone, who knows what tomorrow brings.”

 

Anger, confusion, Jim wasn't sure what he was feeling more of at that moment. He wanted to ask many questions in their limited time together, but he didn't know where to start, and the genuine look of sadness and fear in his parent's eyes resulted in Jim keeping quiet. Instead, he eyed his mother packing only a few essentials.

"You'll get plenty of clothes and food in the capital, no doubt," she said, her hand briefly resting on his cheek. A small gesture, one she made frequently, and Jim always let her. This time, though, he turned away to avoid her touch. “Jim…” she said, his name passing her lips like a tired sigh.

“Why did you never tell me?” he asked.

“It was never important,” his mother replied, “you were going to be a farmer. The capital isn’t for us. It isn’t for you, Jim.”

“I don’t exactly have a choice in the matter, do I?” Jim snapped.

 

Truthfully, no one had a choice in the matter on Tarsus. Their lives were mostly predetermined at birth. Their food was dependent on the harvests. Their careers; chosen by a group of old men in the capital, who carefully weighted people’s skills (and personal records) against supply and demand. As a result, even the towns people lived in were decided for them. In some cases, even marriages and social circles were decided for someone, rather than allowing them to go and discover their own preferences. The fact that someone in the capital decided Jim had to go wasn’t new. And yet now, Jim wished he had a choice. As badly as he wanted to explore the world he lived in, he always thought about doing it on his own terms. Going to the capital like this; the very opposite of what he wanted.

 

“James,” his father said, “come with me.”

Together they stepped outside on the veranda, looking out over the small backyard where Jim spent many years as a child, playing games and climbing the old tree together with Leonard. Spock joined them there a year or so later, after forgiving Jim for getting him into trouble – the first time. They had been inseparable since, and the thought of leaving his best friends behind stung more than he thought it would.

Behind that tree started cornfields his father worked on every day, and much further away – the hill where they spent earlier that night. Thinking back on that, his gaze shifted back towards the moon. Visible there, in the sky, was still nothing more than floating dust and giant rocks that once were the moon (and still roughly resembled a messed up shape of the moon) but wasn't anymore.

“I meant what I said inside,” George said, “we might not be related by blood, but I want you to know that I’m always going to be your father.”

“I know,” Jim said, though he must not have sounded convincing, because his father turned to look at him, and Jim couldn’t bear to look away.

“I know you think you don’t have a choice,” his father said, “but there always is one, Jim. Your mother was supposed to live in the capital as a researcher, and here she is. An elementary school teacher, about as far away from the capital as you can be. You can always come back, if things don’t work out over there.”

“I know,” Jim repeated, though more genuine this time. Throwing his father a small smile, he raised his shoulders in a casual shrug. “Don’t you worry about me. I’m known for bending rules and finding loopholes. I’ll come back as soon as I can.” Jim didn’t even know if that was true. If he could come back at all, or what would happen once he got there in the first place. His parents didn’t know either, and they looked terrified, so Jim was going to be tough a little longer. Just for them.

Reaching out, his father squeezed his shoulder. “Be careful out there. The capital’s not like this town, from what I’ve heard.”

 

After Jim promised he would be, his mother walked out, too. She held a backpack filled with things she deemed important: snacks, some photos, a few pairs of clothes, that sort of thing. She handed it to him, and then pulled Jim into a tight hug. “If you’re ever in any trouble,” she said, “look for a man named Christopher Pike. Remember that name.”

“Christopher Pike,” Jim said, “got it.”

“Don’t you forget it.”

“I won’t, mom.”

“Don’t forget us, either,” she said, “the governor will probably keep you very busy, but don’t forget to call every now and then.”

“Of course,” Jim said. His mother reached out again, hands on his cheeks, like she always did when she told him goodnight, and she kissed his forehead. “Say goodbye to Spock and Leonard for me,” he added, and his mother nodded.

“Of course,” she repeated Jim’s words, and like that, Jim stepped off the veranda, not knowing when would be the next time he’d set foot in that house again.

 

“What about your bodyguards?” Jim asked when he met up with officer Hale. The officer began to walk the moment Jim approached him, and he simply shrugged in response. His footsteps sounded heavy on the gravel roads, kicking small rocks as he walked.

“They’re for show,” Hale said, “like most things in the capital are. They’ll be there when they need to be.”

He approached a vehicle – one Jim had only seen from very far away. Shuttlecrafts didn’t land here. They usually only flew around the capital, and, Jim heard, in space. Occasionally, one flew over the fields, though at a fast pace and very high in the sky, they were always barely noticeable unless you were actively looking up.

“We’re traveling in this?” Jim asked, and Hale nodded.

“You look like you’ve never seen a shuttle before,” Hale responded. “Get inside. Your future is waiting for you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Spock was nervous, and he was tired. He hadn’t slept well, because despite him telling Leonard that the moon’s explosion wasn’t the end of the world, he couldn’t help being worried about it. That, and today was the 'first day of the rest of his life', and although such things were predetermined and feeling nervous about it was entirely illogical, Spock couldn’t help himself. Perhaps he spent too much time around humans.

There were a lot of them outside today. Many passed him by as they headed for the town hall – all residents from the town and surrounding villages. Everyone gathered together to witness the graduates be sorted into their careers and professions. It was usually a very joyous account, and up until last year, Spock couldn’t wait to be there himself. To listen to the introduction speech, and to find his name on one of the displays. His future written down there, exposed to the world.

Today, though, he didn’t feel that excitement he had in previous years. Perhaps it was because now it was truly about himself, no longer any childish fantasies. Perhaps it was about the moon being gone, and that should be a more pressing matter than a career day, but no scientific news about it had come out yet with any updates about the why’s and how’s and what’s next with just one moon left.

 

“Why are you alone?” he asked Leonard when the other approached him.

“We both like Jim more than each other, no need to be a dick about it, though,” Leonard replied, his lips curling into a small smile, “I thought Jim was with you? Maybe he’s just overslept. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“We can’t wait much longer,” Spock said, “the ceremony’s about to start.”

“Oh yes, with the same repetitive speech they hold every year. Can’t remember the last time anyone from the capital bothered showing up instead of displaying the speech via hologram,” Leonard said, “if the hologram is wearing a red shirt with her top button undone, you know they’re just repeating the same message from last year. Mark my words.”

Spock knew by now that Leonard rambled because he was anxious. The fact that he continued to talk about a hologram’s blouse while they walked inside told Spock that much, because Leonard never openly judged people by appearance, or fashion in general. Leonard didn't know the first thing about looks, and he didn't care what others looked like. Not even a hologram.

 

The town hall was an old building on the outside, but the big meeting hall was modernized for events such as this one, which had to uphold certain capital standards. People were all gathering in front of the big podium, many parents with their children who were now of age.

“Are your parents here?” Leonard asked, and Spock nodded.

"My mother is somewhere in the back, she helped organizing the event." His father was still on planet Vulcan, traveling back and forth exactly three times a year: once, for a gathering of the ambassadors, which was required for his job. Once, for Spock's birthday, and once more, on the anniversary of his wedding day. Though, even if he were absent today, Spock knew he would call him as soon as his career was revealed. "Are yours?"

"No," Leonard replied, "they need to keep working today. Besides, there’s no one here they know who get sorted today, besides you and Jim. Speaking of which, you see him anywhere?"

Both boys looked around, walking past groups of people to try and find Jim. That familiar head full of blond hair and bright blue eyes was nowhere to be found. And, looking around, Spock didn’t see Winona nor George anywhere, either.

"I think neither of the Kirks are here," Spock concluded at that, and as his attention turned back to Leonard, he watched the other run a hand through his hair. A worried frown on his face, and then;

"We don't have time to run to their home to see what's keeping them," he said, "God damn it. How typical is it of Jim to oversleep? He's always late for everything. You'd think he would be taking the career ceremony a little more serious."

"Your rambling suggests you're nervous about this," Spock said, and to that, Leonard replied in a scoff. Hands in the pockets of his jeans, like he was trying to play it casual.

"It's just that with the moon blowing up, and this day being mandatory, it's just... it's just him being an idiot is what's going to get him in trouble, and it worries me," Leonard said.

“Considering it’s mandatory and he hasn’t missed the ceremony once in the last ten years, the odds of him showing up are still good, Leonard,” Spock said, gently patting Leonard’s shoulder, “let’s go find a seat in the auditorium.”

 

Just as Leonard already suspected, the speech this year was done via hologram. A beautiful young lady is portrayed at the podium; pinned up brown hair, a white blouse that's spotless. Skirt that reaches to about her knees, and shoes with heels higher than would be comfortable on anyone. By the looks of it, how clean she was, how dolled up and beautiful - she'd never done any physical labor a day in her life. She smiled widely at her audience, a brief stutter in the hologram only disrupting her for a fraction of a second, but that didn't stop her from the usual speech. The room filled with just her voice while everyone listened for minutes, while all she said simply boiled down to: "Thank you for coming" and "we're proud of you regardless of the occupation chosen for you". All formalities. The whole day could be shortened significantly if they’d just publish the careers on the displays immediately and let the townspeople go on with their day after finding out.

Yet here they were, listening to a pretty woman who neither cared about their future nor would she ever meet any of them in person. Her charming smile, the free snacks and drinks at the town hall, and having most of the day off, it was all meant to make them feel special.

 

Spock ended up feeling nervous again - almost jittery compared to Leonard's slouched back demeanor next to him. Of course, a couple years prior, it had been Spock and Jim sitting next to Leonard being all anxious about his future. With Leonard, though, they already knew he'd end up in medicine. His father was a doctor, his mother worked in the small pharmacy in town, his records had been squeaky clean. Spock's, although with a couple of strikes on his high school behavioral records (Jim's fault), were clean, too. Thanks to his parents having a good occupation, Spock knew there was a good chance he'd land a decent job. Sure, there was nothing wrong with farming or general maintenance, but Spock was a skinny guy. Physical labor wasn’t his forte.

 

From the corner of his eyes, Spock saw Leonard reach out for his PADD, scrolling through his messages with Jim. He was clearly typing something - probably asking where he was, but Spock had no intention of invading his privacy, so he looked the other way instead. "Is he replying back?" he asked, voice hushed so he wouldn't disturb those trying to listen to whatever this lady was saying.

"No," Leonard said, "after you're sorted, I'll go check it out."

"... I want to thank everyone for joining us on this joyous day, and we wish you the best of luck at the beginning of the rest of your lives..." the hologram wrapped up her speech, and Spock felt Leonard's hand on his arm. A small gesture, perhaps because Leonard noticed Spock feeling nervous, or at least having that gut feeling he would be. Leonard was good with these things, after all.

"You'll do fine," Leonard said, "even if you land the worst job ever, you'll find a way to be really good at it. You're annoying that way."

“Only you can give a compliment while simultaneously insulting someone,” Spock replied, though the corners of his lips curled upwards to a small smile.

 

The big screen on the podium projected the school graduates heading towards agriculture, first. It was the longest list of people, because it was the primary job in these villages. Spock paid close attention to the names rolling by, though he was only looking for Jim’s name, and his own. They expected Jim’s name to be on this list, but Spock hoped neither Jim nor himself would end up in agriculture. Because Jim was highly intelligent and received generally good grades in school, but his stubborn personality collided with the requirements of most other professions. That, and the Kirks were part of one of the oldest farming families in the colony.

Come the end of the list of names, Jim’s hadn’t been on it. Neither was Spock’s.

“Well,” Leonard said, “that was unexpected.”

 

Neither names were found in general maintenance. They both paid attention for Jim's name among the mechanics, as Jim was good with cars and taking things apart. Education, and medical practice passed by without any of their names on it, and Spock found himself biting his lip, wondering what jobs were left for them. At last, the Justice Department announced their names; Spock was among them, and he heard Leonard let out a relieved sigh.

"Congratulations, Spock," he said, "looks like you're going to be a guard." Because that's how they all got started - and in small towns such as these, where nothing ever really happened, that's usually what they ended up doing for the most part of their career. Nothing exciting, or challenging, but good work. Honest work, a much-respected position.

"Thank you," Spock said, and for the first time today, he felt like he could take a breath, too, though he wondered why such an honorable position still made him feel a little disappointed.

 

Yet Jim’s name hadn’t been on that list, or any of them. So, before Spock was whisked off to his new job, they investigated. The town hall was buzzing with proud parents and their (hopefully) relieved children. Some were bragging, others were doing the exact opposite. He only partially listened to the conversations they passed as they walked, and Spock grabbed Leonard’s arm to pull him towards their old math teacher, whom had always been Jim’s favorite.

“Mrs. Davies,” Spock said as a greeting, and she returned that greeting with a smile so bright it made the corners of her eyes wrinkle.

“Spock!” She called out, patting his shoulder, “congratulations. Law Enforcement is a fine position. Always knew you had it in you. And McCoy, so good to see you. How do you find being a doctor?”

“Tiring,” Leonard replied, and she laughed at that.

“Such an old soul you have.”

“Mr. Davies, we’re wondering about Jim,” Spock explained.

“Who?”

“Jim… Kirk?” Leonard tried, “he was in your math class for years. He wasn’t on any of the lists. Do you know anything about that?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, to which Spock frowned.

“Don’t know about Jim, or why he’s not on the list?”

“I’m in no position to discuss anything,” she replied, “but you should know; everyone is on the list. Everyone on Tarsus has a job.”

“We’re aware,” Spock said, “but Jim wasn’t on the list.”

“Well,” she said, “maybe he was on the list and you just missed his name. Either way, I can’t help you.” Just like that, she ended the conversation, and left the two of them alone.

 

The auditorium grew emptier when people started leaving; to return home or to their jobs. Some remained to meet up with their newfound colleagues, and Spock knew he would have to do the same. His gut told him to go and investigate Jim’s absence, but Leonard caught on to that quickly.

“I’m going over to their house. I’ll keep you updated. You go meet your colleagues, Spock.”

“I will,” Spock agreed with a nod, watching Leonard follow the crowd out of the building, and the second the doctor was gone, Spock suddenly felt entirely alone.

 

He made his way to the others who were chosen by the Justice Department. Most of them tall and broad, from respectable families who had served for the Justice Department for many years. Spock’s parents weren’t part of that. Most of these people were old classmates of Spock’s who didn’t even believe Spock’s father existed, considering he grew up with just his human mother. Among these new colleagues, Spock felt entirely out of place. So instead, he pulled out his PADD, sending Jim a couple messages about the ceremony and asking where he was, and if he could please just let them know he was okay.

 

“Are you not friends with any of these people?” a voice asked him, way too close into his personal space, and when Spock looked up – he found himself staring. Next to him stood a girl; tall and slender and with long black hair and eyes that reminded him of a deer; gentle and curious. Her skin was darker than most people on Tarsus, and her smile was brighter. There was a hint of mischief in her eyes he recognized in Jim, too, and that pulled him in.

“I’m familiar with a lot of them,” Spock said, “but I wouldn’t consider anyone a friend.”

“You’re still one up on me,” she replied, “I don’t know anyone here. The old sheriff here told me to pick your friends carefully. Probably means we should hang out with the most popular kids, right? The ones who have many generations in law enforcement and stuff.” At that, Spock huffed, and he put his PADD away.

“While that might be good advice, I think I’ll pass,” he said, and she chuckled.

“Yes,” she said, “I think I’ll pass, too.”

For a few seconds, uncomfortably long in Spock’s mind, he hesitated. Then, he extended his hand to her. “I’m Spock,” he said, and she raised her eyebrows.

“A hand? Isn’t that a little intimate for Vulcan standards?” she asked, and that caught Spock off guard. He was used to human customs, but humans were never used to Vulcans. The fact that this girl even knew about it was surprising and entirely fascinating, but before he could speak, she smiled at him, and shook his hand anyway.

“Nyota Uhura.”

 

~*~

 

The streets were busier than usual, and the majority of people were walking in the same direction as Leonard was. Most of them were talking excitedly; after all, their futures were just revealed to them. No matter where they ended up, there was something to celebrate, for there was dignity in every job and every position was important to keep things on this planet run smoothly. Leonard didn’t join in with any of the festivities, however, because as he walked, he felt increasingly more anxious about everything.

First, the freaking moon blew up, and no one deemed it important enough to mention it. There was very little out there on Tarsus’ limited internet. Just that “scientists are investigating and will issue a statement as soon as possible”, which basically translated to; “us professionals don’t know either”, and that wasn’t comforting to think about. Yet everyone considered their new jobs more important.

Secondly, Jim. Jim was supposed to be part of those celebrations. Even though Jim thought the Career Ceremony was taking away their freedom, he loved the celebrations of it. Loved the free food and drinks, loved being in the presence of so many people. Because Jim loved people, and people loved Jim.

 

The crowds on the streets grew rapidly thinner once he walked away from the downtown area. People found their homes or their jobs, and went on with their day. Some found one of the town’s two bars, and celebrated in there. Or they drank themselves into a stupor. Though the day had only just begun, Leonard couldn’t blame people for drinking so early. If he hadn’t promised Spock he’d let him know, he might have gone in himself for a glass of liquid courage. Instead, he ventured onwards.

The street to their home was quiet, but there were sounds coming from the fields. Some farmers were already working; the rumbling of equipment familiar and soothing to Leonard’s ears. The weather had been warm and accommodating to people, but the lack of rain made it difficult for farmers to keep their crops properly hydrated. George Kirk had built one of those giant sprinklers that wet the ground for his crops to grow, but Leonard mostly remembered Jim stealing it and turning it on in the middle of the street. He’d seen it in photos of Earth kids on a hot summer’s day in New York and used his father's invention to recreate it. His father had been furious for wasting water, but all the kids on the street had loved it, and so Leonard knew Jim would do it again in a heartbeat if he had the chance.

 

Stepping on to the porch that led to the Kirk family’s front door, Leonard knocked. He waited patiently, glancing around the porch for any signs of, well, _anything_  that would indicate why Jim wouldn’t have been present today, but the porch was clean. He reached out for the doorknob, but the front door was locked. After so many years, however, Leonard knew just how to get in anyway. All he had to do was pull the doormat back slightly to reveal the spare key, and using that, he stepped inside.

“Jim?” he called the very moment he opened the door and stepped inside. “Mrs. Kirk?”

The house was silent, aside from the old wooden floor creaking under Leonard’s weight, just as it always had. He checked the living area and the kitchen, both of which were empty of people, so he moved upstairs.

After so many years, Leonard knew his way around the house blindly.  He spent many nights in this house as a child, and he considered the Kirks his family every bit as much as he considered his own parents to be family.

He didn’t knock when he entered Jim’s bedroom, he just opened the door and walked in. The room was a mess, though it usually was, and didn’t necessarily indicate anything was wrong. A quick look-around, though, did tell him a few things were missing. Jim had a picture of his parents on his nightstand, and it was gone. His wardrobe was open, and though some clothes remained, it looked emptier. Some drawers were pulled open like someone was looking for things in a hurry.

If Jim was here before, he wasn’t now.

 

Leonard knew Jim better than most people in town, who saw Jim as a handsome young man, but a troublesome one. Leonard knew better. He knew the places where Jim used to hide from the world as a child. He knew which hill, and under which tree, Jim had cheesy picnics with his temporary high school sweethearts. He knew exactly how to maneuver the cornfields to get to cozy little hiding spots, fishing lakes, and the spot the three of them used to camp one weekend a year down in the forest. If anyone could track Jim down on this planet, it was Leonard.

 

So, he walked down the stairs, skipping the steps that always made the most noise, and he headed towards the backdoor to leave via the kitchen. The moment he walked out of the hallway and stepped into the kitchen, though, he found himself right in front of Winona.

She'd just stepped into the kitchen from the veranda. Her blond hair was hidden under a scarf, and she looked horribly pale, like she hadn't slept at all, or perhaps she'd been crying.

"Mrs. Kirk," Leonard said, and before he could react to it, Jim's mother had pulled him into a tight hug.

“Oh, Leonard," she said, and Leonard found Jim's mother sobbing in her arms. He held on to her tightly, and although his mind was riddled with questions, he gave her time. It didn't even take her long. Like George, and Jim, Winona was strong. She pulled herself together quickly, reaching out to rest her hands on Leonard's cheeks - much like he'd seen her do to Jim many times before. "They're both gone," she said, and Leonard frowned. That didn't answer any questions, in fact, it only raised more of them. "Let's sit you down, you look exhausted," Leonard said gently, "I'll make you some tea, then tell me what happened." He caught a smile on her lips, ever so briefly, and then she did sit down.

"They did well, choosing medicine for you. Doctor suits you," Leonard heard her say as he put the kettle on for tea. Waiting for it to heat up, he sat down next to her.

"This doesn't have much to do with being a doctor," he said, "you're family, and when none of you were at the Ceremony... where is Jim? Mr. Kirk?"

"They took Jim, last night," she said, "Jim, he's in the capital."

 

Leonard listened to her talking while he made sure she drank tea to help her calm down. The thought that George wasn't Jim's real father seemed surreal. They were alike in many ways; stubborn, brave when necessary, often butting heads with each other on how to fix things around the house, or how to handle general conflict. They even looked like each other. They were so much alike, hearing the news about George not being Jim's dad was difficult to grasp. Leonard could only imagine how Jim must be feeling.

"Do you know why they needed Jim?" he asked, but she shook her head.

"I've worked closely with the governor for years, but he never... never showed particular interest to the folk this far away from the capital. I don't know what he sees in Jim now, all of a sudden," Winona said. Leonard frowned worriedly, running a hand through his hair while he thought about that. If Jim was truly gone, there wasn't much he could do about it from here. Not now, anyway.

"What about George?" Leonard asked, "what happened?"

"I don't know," Winona said, "he left last night. Needed some fresh air after everything that happened. He... he hasn't been back, since. I've been looking everywhere. He couldn't have gone far, George doesn't leave town. Not really."

Letting out a sigh, Leonard rubbed his temples ever so briefly, and then he reached out to squeeze her arm. "I'll find him for you. You need to rest. Doctor’s orders."

 

Leonard knew the particular fields George had been working on last. He'd heard him complain about some sort of fungus infecting the crops, and he was trying to contain it before it spread. He wasn't the only one - there were more farmers concerned about their harvest getting messed up.

When he got there, he found the plants mostly wilted. George wasn't here. The Kirks had more land, but Leonard knew where to look.

 

A small dirt road curving through two different fields - one with corn, the other; potatoes. Leonard wasn't an expert on farming, but even he could tell the potatoes weren't looking as bright and green as they should be looking. The white flowers were non-existent in certain patches, and the doctor just hoped that didn't mean the harvest would be badly affected. It wasn't the plant, after all, they needed what was underground.

Taking out his PADD, he tried calling Spock, but the Vulcan didn't respond. That wasn't too surprising, considering he would be busy with his new colleagues, learning how the job worked, and settling in his new life. Hesitating briefly, because - what were the chances? - he called Jim. There was a quiet moment when there was just the sound of his own boots on the dirt and the quiet beeping of his PADD trying to connect to Jim's. Jim didn't answer. That wasn't surprising, but Leonard was still disappointed.

 

The pathway deviated from fields, and instead curved towards the forest line. It was quiet there; only a few birds were chirping quietly, and the summer breeze only gently rustled the leaves of the many trees around. Not many people ventured that far away from the village, but the three of them found different camping spots here - because George showed them. Taught them how to fish in the creek. George showed them how to pitch tents, to make fire pits and roast fish and vegetables over it.

Leonard stepped through the mud and fallen leaves. He made his way to the creek, finding his way to their usual hangout spot.

There, he found George. He sat against a tree. That ash blond hair messy and stained, and he looked horribly pale. "Mr. Kirk?" Leonard asked carefully. Even without a medical observation, Leonard knew this wasn't a good sign. He crouched down next to the man, a quick examination showed the dark red stain on his shirt. Reaching out to press his fingers against the other's neck, he didn't detect a pulse, and Leonard came to the reasonable conclusion that George was dead. Stabbed to death, judging by the stain on his chest.

The realization made him nauseous, and he stumbled a few feet before doubling over and throwing up. Leonard could handle blood. He could handle ugly wounds and infections, he’d treated plenty of those at the clinic. He had watched his father perform surgeries and he even assisted in those. The wound wasn’t an issue, but the sheer panic of seeing a murdered corpse - of George Kirk, someone he’d known all his life – that was more than he could handle.

 

He couldn’t just run away from this, though. Winona had to know. The authorities... and Jim. Leonard had to pull himself together, just a little longer. So, he closed his eyes, counted to ten, and he reached out for his PADD again, quickly tapping the button to connect him to the town’s emergency services.

“This is the sheriff’s department,” a girl’s voice rang in his ear, and Leonard took a deep breath before speaking.

“This is Leonard McCoy from medical. I want to report a dead body.”


	4. Chapter 4

Jim had seen the capital in pictures. There were plenty of those in their books in school, and Tarsus’ restricted internet offered photos of places to visit in the capital for those lucky enough to ever go there. Nothing had prepared him for actually arriving there, though.

It was morning by the time the shuttle landed at the airport outside the capital. Tarsus was but a small colony planet, population barely matching one of America’s bigger cities. Standing there on that perfectly asphalted landing strip though, still quite a few miles away from downtown, it was impressive. Buildings rose tall into the sky. Shuttles and other vehicles flew around, or floated, Jim didn’t even know the technical term for it. It looked modern. Not as much as those photos of York Town he’d seen on the news, but significantly less outdated than the dirt and cobblestone roads and cornfields Jim grew up on.

 

“Where are we going, exactly?” Jim asked as he followed officer Hale from one vehicle to the next. This one; a car with blackened windows, likely to remain inconspicuous, but even with Jim’s very limited knowledge of the city he knew they weren’t going to be fooling anyone in that thing. It looked far too luxurious.

“The governor wants to meet you,” Hale replied, holding the door to the backseat of the car open, and he waited for Jim to get in before getting in himself, too. The car didn’t need a driver to be driven around, apparently, which Jim thought was a real shame. Driving was half the fun. “I’ll have your stuff dropped off at home afterwards.”

“Home,” Jim repeated, and he thought of his parents. He’d have to let them know he was okay, soon. Whatever home Hale was referring to, it wasn’t Jim’s home. Not yet.

 

There were so many shops. No grocery shops where people could buy food and necessities, but there were restaurants. The signs Jim managed to read while the car drove to its destination contained foods he’d never even heard of. A sign read; _Real Ribs from Terran cows_ , and Jim turned to look at the man next to him.

“There’s food from other planets here?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Hale replied, “there’s a place a few blocks from here that serves the best Andorian food. I don’t know how they manage to make imported food taste that good, but it’s nice. You should try it sometime. I’m sure Mr. Kodos doesn’t need you fulltime, you’ll have the chance to explore the city.”

Bars, nightclubs, clothing stores, florists, Jim didn’t know what amazed him more. He hadn’t seen a single grocery store yet, or anyone looking like they were working. People were just walking on the sidewalks, getting to places, or sitting in one of those bars or coffee shops. This was nothing like his hometown.

“Don’t people work here?”

“They do, they work very hard,” Hale said, “but you see, things are different here. In the capital, we work to maintain our place in society outside this small planet. We research, and we have mundane office jobs, so that people like you can keep farming without having to worry about tomorrow.”

There was something condescending about the way he said that, but Jim was in no position to argue. He didn’t know the city, he couldn’t go back, and even if he could; going back without even meeting the governor was an act of treason, for it would go directly against the governor’s orders.

“Hey, but you don’t have to farm anymore,” Hale continued, “you’re part of the big boys now, and you get to enjoy the perks that come with it.”

 

The Civic Center was a tall building and seemed to be primarily made out of glass, which seemed impractical to Jim, let alone incredibly hot on summer days. Tall windows were being cleaned despite not even looking dirty at all. The plaza leading up to the building was clean, too. No visible dirt and sand on the ground. There was a fountain - which Jim thought was tremendous water waste - where a few teenagers were hanging out. The leaves that fell from the trees around the plaza were swept away to keep the paths clean for pedestrians. It was such a vast difference from his hometown, it seemed completely surreal.

He knew this was supposed to be impressive, and in its own way, it was. Yet the thing on his mind wasn't the modern building, or the fancy dressed people walking in- or out of the building. The only thing he thought about was calling his best friends to talk about it, and laugh at the insanity of it all.

 

A trip inside the building, and an elevator ride later, Jim found himself at the top floor, overlooking the city. It was a gigantic office, kind of like his parents’ study room, but ten times as big, and the walls were just windows. Stepping out of that elevator, Hale led him to the one desk in the center of the room, and that was where Kodos was sitting.

“Governor,” Hale said, sounding much more tense now.

The Governor looked up with interest. When he saw Jim, the smile on his lips that followed was surprisingly gentle, Jim noticed, and he looked at him with genuine interest.

"I'm thrilled to finally meet you," he said, standing up and reaching out for Jim's hand. He grabbed on to his hand with both his, and Jim noticed just how soft they were. Nothing like his father's-- like George's, whose were tough from years of hard labor. The Governor had clean fingernails, and he smelled different, like fancy soaps in scents Jim couldn’t place.

"You too," Jim said simply, in lieu for a better answer, and he pulled his hand back slowly. He hesitated, just briefly, because he was a little star struck. This was the man who ruled their entire planet, and although he didn't agree with every decision this man made; the people were fed, no one was homeless, and everyone contributed to society. Even with certain questionable decisions, Jim could at least respect that. After taking a deep breath, he asked: "Why am I here?"

"Why, we wouldn't want you to get dragged into a career for the rest of your life when you've the potential and the knowledge to become something greater than a simple farmer." Hearing him say that, though, Jim narrowed his eyes.

"Farming's far from simple work," Jim said.

"Of course," Kodos replied, "we would be nowhere without the hard work and dedication of farmers, and teachers, and those in maintenance. They're the backbone of our society." With a simple nod, he dismissed officer Hale.

 

Kodos walked to the window closest to his desk, and Jim hesitantly followed. They overlooked the city, all of it looking foreign to Jim. Though nowhere near the tall skyscrapers of New York or York Town, the buildings were tall nonetheless. There were so many people down there, walking and minding their own business.

"Why aren't those people at work?" Jim asked.

"They're commuting," Kodos said, "they're on their way to work, or they're on a lunch break, but they're all working one way or another."

 

From up here, there were many places that caught Jim's interest. All the shops, the people, the children who were carelessly playing on the sidewalk. They looked happy here, just as they looked happy back home, but there was a difference. These kids had fancy toys, like hoverboards, and they wore clean clothes. Even from up here, Jim could see that they were wealthy.

 

“I’m of no use to you here, I’m sure,” Jim said, “I don’t know anything about this city. I was raised a farmer. I can do some mechanical work. Pretty sure I can build a motorcycle, and I would love to learn how to fly those shuttles-“

“Shuttles? No,” Kodos said, “Based on your school records, you seem to grasp things quickly. I’m sure you’ll make a fine pilot, but that’d be a waste of your particular talents.”

“What are my particular talents?” Jim asked.

“You know the people,” Kodos replied, turning his back to the window to instead face Jim. “You’ve lived among the people for years. They’ll listen to you when you speak, we'll make them. I know things haven’t always gone smoothly while I tried to keep this planet’s system running. I’m not popular outside the capital. But the farmers, the mechanics, the construction workers, they’re the ones who need my support as much as I need theirs. That’s going to be your job.”

Jim crossed his arms, staring outside for a little while longer before he turned to look at Kodos, and he frowned. “What does that make me?” he asked, and Kodos smiled.

“A politician, Jim. That makes you a politician.”

 

 

Jim's new home was just an entire floor in a building. He took an elevator to get there, and came to the quick realization that his entire childhood home, including that small backyard, would fit in the floor he now had to occupy all by himself. Kodos had his own floor above Jim's, so Jim could get settled into adulthood, his new house, and his new responsibilities by himself. "But," Kodos had said, "should you need anything, I'm only one short elevator ride away."

The Governor did show him around, briefly. Showed him how to work the elevator and who to call in case of emergency, but other than that, he seemed keen on letting Jim explore the city and its perks by himself. 

 

"Oh, before I forget," he said, as if Jim wasn't overwhelmed enough yet, "I have a new PADD for you."

"I have a PADD already," Jim said, now wondering where they left his backpack to begin with.

"This is an upgraded version," Kodos said, handing Jim his new display device, "Starfleet issued. We installed everything for you, made sure the thing was equipped to deal with Tarsus' internet services, and it's yours to use.”

“Starfleet?” Jim repeated curiously, “are they here?”

“Yes,” Kodos replied, “but you don’t need to concern yourself with Starfleet. They’re here for research and once a month they deliver us necessary supplies. They’re even cleaning up some of that debris floating around the broken moon right now. No matter, you need to focus yourself on the people who actually live here.”

“Do they know anything about the moon situation?”

“That’s also none of your concern.”

“Governor,” Jim said, “the people are worried. They’re going to want answers. If you want them to trust you more and rely on your support, they’re going to have to get answers.”

“I know that,” Kodos said, “but if Starfleet knows anything about what happened last night, they haven’t told me. I’m waiting for them to release a statement. If you feel like it, feel free to bother them about it at some point. I believe officer Pike’s in charge there. You have my permission.”

“Pike,” Jim repeated, and then he smiled, “maybe I’ll do just that.”

“But Jim, you should know, I’m speaking the truth when I’m telling you I don’t know what happened to the moon, or the consequences it’ll have for our planet. I want to find out as much as you do,” Kodos said, and Jim decided he believed him. For now.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

George Kirk’s death was ruled an untimely, tragic accident. The first of a string of accidents that happened on the planet over the upcoming week. A couple rocks from the moon's debris made their way into the atmosphere and fell to the ground. One of the rocks landed on one of the small houses and the impact of it killed the unlucky bastard too close to it. Another one killed one of the cows in a field, and the sheer panic from the other animals in the field trampled the nearby farmer. In the city, the impact of one of the rocks set a building ablaze and killed at least 12 people. George Kirk was called the first of those victims, and just like that, Kirk's case was closed.

 

"In a pig's eye, Spock!" Leonard called out loudly when Spock informed him of that. Spock had been settling into his new job with surprising ease - but then, perhaps patrolling the streets wasn't that difficult to do. Making sure people adhered to their curfews, especially now with the moon situation becoming more lethal; people were willing to listen to that curfew. He worked together with Uhura, spending hours upon hours just walking the streets together. Uhura always made sure to talk to the people they encountered on the streets. She made them break their patrol route to take three kids back to their classes. The kindergarten teacher thanked them at least three times and offered them tea and cookies before they left. An oddly satisfying feeling, to be doing something good, even on such a small scale.

The moment he heard of George Kirk’s passing, Spock had requested he’d be part of the investigation, but his officials had just waved him off. “Let the adults handle this,” the sheriff had said, and it had rubbed Spock the wrong way, but he couldn’t force himself into that investigation, so he obeyed. Now, the case was closed, George was buried next to his parents in the local cemetery, and people had to move on with their lives.

"Leonard..." Spock sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Damn it, I'm a doctor, I recognize a stab wound when I see one!" Leonard said, and Spock watched him pace in front of him.

"The sheriff said-"

"I don't care what the sheriff says," Leonard interrupted, "Spock, George Kirk was _murdered_."

“Why would they lie about this?” Spock asked, “they have no reason to lie. The moon’s gravity is not holding the debris together. More than one person has gotten themselves killed. Perhaps it was just that? Your judgement might have been clouded by your emotional attachment to the Kirks.”

“Are you kidding me? I found him in the middle of the woods. Not a tree, not the ground, nothing around it was impacted. George was stabbed to death, and you’re taking the sheriff’s side?”

“I’m not taking any sides! I’m as emotionally impacted by this as you are.”

“You’re not showing it, you pointy eared bastard,” Leonard muttered under his breath, to which Spock simply raised his eyebrows.

“Leonard, please,” he said, getting up from his seat, “what do you want to do? Call out the Justice Department? We have no evidence to support your claims. Clearly the sheriff didn’t have any evidence either, they searched the creek for hours. There was nothing there except his body.” He reached out, both his hands on Leonard’s shoulders. “All we can do from here is move forward.”

 

Leonard drew a long sigh, and Spock realized that at least this part of the conversation was over. A small, worried smile appeared on Spock's face. Leonard had been visibly hurt with George's passing, and Jim's sudden departure. He worked more hours to keep himself busy, and Spock detected the faint scent of alcohol on Leonard's breath.

"What does Jim think about all this?" Leonard asked, and Spock let go of Leonard's shoulders, raising his own in a shrug.

"I don't know."

"Jim does know, right?"

"I don't know," Spock repeated.

"Spock," Leonard said, "we gotta check up on him. He deserves to know. He's not picked up once when I called him."

"Nor when I tried, either. I fear he's stopped using his PADD. Perhaps he got a new one," Spock said.

 

Leonard seemed to think about that. "God damn it," the doctor muttered, "Jim's with the most powerful person on this freaking planet. You should be able to track down his address, or something. You're in the Justice Department, for crying out loud."

"That's confidential," Spock said, but then he considered. This was Jim, after all, and Leonard was right. Jim's mother hadn't spoken to her son, either, and so there was certainly a chance Jim wasn't informed, and Spock knew very well Jim would have done the same thing for him. "I don't have access to that kind of database," he added, but before Leonard could open his mouth to protest, he said; "but I might know someone who does."

 

Leonard talked a lot. About all things that bothered him, or worried him, and a lot about Jim. How worried he was about Jim being in the capital, about Jim being an idiot for one reason or another. That was nothing out of the ordinary, because Leonard used to bicker with Jim pretty much non-stop. Without the other here, Spock now found himself on the other end of the grumpy doctor's arguments.

Now, on their way out of this town, and heading to the next town over, they had some time to spare, and Leonard filled the silence by talking. Spock let him, gladly listening to all of that if that made Leonard feel any better.

 

The next village was a lot smaller. Hidden between trees on one end, and fields of tall grass at the other, no one would even know the town was there except if you happened to take the one road that passed through it.

"What are we doing here?" Leonard asked.

"We're visiting a colleague," Spock said, heading up to the door of one of the bigger houses.

"You got other friends, now? Way to make me feel replaced," Leonard joked, and for the first time this night, the Vulcan saw a small smile on his lips. Spock returned that smile with his own, and then he knocked on the door. The door swung open quietly, and in the doorway stood Uhura. She had her hair let down, which wasn't how Spock usually saw her. During the day, she had her hair firmly tied back in a ponytail. Pajamas, too, wasn't something he was used to, and so he briefly caught himself off guard.

"Spock," she said, smiling lightly, and then she looked at Leonard standing behind him.

"Uhura," Spock nodded in greeting after forcing himself to speak, then added; "we need your help."

 

Truthfully, Spock wasn't even sure if Uhura could help. She was also a patrol guard, but Spock remembered her saying her father was in charge of updating the population's records. Phone numbers, addresses, careers, lineage, that sort of thing. Incredibly dull work, apparently, and he worked lots of hours to keep all the records updated. They lived on the countryside, hidden from the rest of the world so that  no one knew where to look for these records; should anyone have an ill-found interest. They might not have access to the police database, but if anyone could find Jim's new contact details, if they were listed at all, it would be Uhura's father.

 

"You realize what you're asking is highly illegal," Uhura said after Spock explained the situation to them. "I've only known you for a week. Why would I risk my father's career and freedom, as well as my own, over this? If Jim Kirk is with the Governor, I'd say he's in the safest spot of the planet."

"She does have a point," Spock said.

"This is Jim," Leonard said, "he would've contacted us by now. If anyone does find out, tell them I forced both of you."

Uhura looked at Leonard, ran a hand through her hair, and sighed in defeat. "You're lucky my parents are out tonight. Let's go take a look."

 

The computer that was in Mr. Uhura's office seemed out of place. The house itself was old fashioned; a fancy farmhouse like every other house in the area, with their weathered brick walls and creaky porches and old furniture. Mr. Uhura's office, however, was modern. Clean and empty, aside from the photos of his children on the wall, and a desk in the room with his office chair. No books, all of that must be registered on his computer. Uhura sat down in the chair in front of it and turned it on.

"Is it going to be password protected?" Spock asked.

"Oh, yeah. Absolutely," Uhura replied, "but it's okay. My dad has used the same password for everything for years."

"That's a relief, considering the whole planet's contact details are in that file," Leonard huffed.

"You should be glad, since we want to find your friend," Uhura replied.

 

Spock counted paces. It took exactly four steps to get from one end of the room to the other, and he'd been doing so for at least an hour. Going through thousands upon thousands of files took time, he knew, but that didn't make the waiting any less excruciating. Leonard didn't look any better. He had that pondering look Spock became familiar with. Arms crossed, but with the occasional hand brought to his mouth; Leonard had a way of running his thumb just over his bottom lip as he thought about all the troubles in the world.

Spock did pity him here. Leonard was friendly with most people, but only Jim and himself were his close friends. With Jim gone, and Spock working fulltime, they didn't spend much time together anymore. It didn't take a genius to figure out that, even after such a short time, Leonard was lonely.

 

“I think I’ve got something,” Uhura said, pulling Spock out of his pace – as well as his train of thought. “It looks like a recent Starfleet Personal Access Display Device was assigned to a J.T. Kodos. Which, if what you guys have told me is true, should be it, right?”

“That’s a terrible last name,” Leonard commented, to which Uhura raised her eyebrows.

“You’re really badmouthing the Governor in front of two law enforcers?” she asked, though when Leonard looked caught off guard, she smiled again. “Don’t worry. I’m not overly fond of the name, either.”

“Your friend scares me,” Leonard said out loud to Spock, to which the Vulcan chuckled.

“Good,” he replied.

“I have the number to his PADD. Save it, and try giving him a call. If it’s not him, then… you didn’t get this information from me,” Uhura said, and Spock nodded.

“Of course. Thank you for all this, Uhura. I owe you one.”

“That you do,” Uhura replied, waiting for Leonard to save the new number, and then she turned off the computer.

 

The way back was quicker. Both were eager to try out if this was working. If they could just communicate with Jim, things would be increasingly easier on Leonard, as well as on Spock, who also missed his best friend dearly, even if he wouldn't admit it as readily. At least Spock had the distraction of his new colleagues, and the new tasks he was learning to master.

"That girl's pretty," Leonard said, out of the blue, and it caught Spock off guard.

"Uhura's smart. I don't think I've met anyone who matched my intelligence like she does."

"Gotta love how modest you are," Leonard replied, "and not at all a dick."

"I don't mean it that way," Spock said, and even from the corner of his eyes he could see Leonard roll his. "But, yes, she's also very pretty."

 

They went to Leonard's home. Spock felt at home enough to fill two glasses with water while Leonard got comfortable on the couch with his PADD. Sitting down next to Leonard, Spock handed him his glass and looked over at the screen as Leonard saved the new contact to his device. Pressing the call button, both boys found themselves anxiously staring at the screen. Leonard opened his mouth to say something, because that's what Leonard did a lot, after all, but before he could say anything, the call connected.

 

In the camera stared a familiar face. Blond hair a mess, sticking out at all angles, and sleepy, bright blue eyes stared up at the screen in confusion. "Hello?"

"Jim!" Spock found himself with Leonard simultaneously.


	6. Chapter 6

This was the last thing Jim expected to wake up to in the middle of the night. Squinting a little into the glowing light of the screen, Jim sat up when he heard Leonard and Spock speak. "Spock! Leonard! How did you find me?" he asked, his voice still a little rough from sleeping.

"That's a long story. What happened to your old PADD?" Leonard asked.

"Oh, I got a new one," Jim replied, the reflection of his own face on the screen made him attempt to fix his hair a little. "Tell me everything that's been going on over there. I miss you guys so much, but I've been so busy here. I ate sushi for the first time today. D'you know what that is? It's like, raw fish and rice. A real delicacy on Earth, apparently."

"Raw fish and rice is a poor man's dinner," Leonard said to that, though Jim could see him smile on that screen, and that stupid smile was both heartwarming and hurtful at once.

 

"What have you been doing?" Spock asked.

"I haven't done much but explore the capital yet," Jim replied in all honesty. "Kodos wants me to get to know the people, including those in the city. So, I've been outside. We should be going to the countryside soon."

"We?" Leonard asked, "you and the Governor? You're actually working for the governor?"

"Yeah," Jim said, "it sounds fancier than it is. So far, it just means eating strange foods and meeting strange people."

 

Briefly, Jim turned away to reach for a shirt, pulling it over his head because now that he was awake, he started feeling cold with the Air Conditioning turned on. Then, he glanced at the screen again.

"Guys, tell me everything. What's been going on? How did your career day go?"

"Good," Spock promised him, "I'm in Law Enforcement."

"Really? I'm not surprised. Is it fun? That's what I wanted to do. Patrolling and telling people they're breaking curfew? Sounds great."

"Sounds like you'd let all the teenagers go outside at night anyway so that they can make out somewhere private," Leonard scolded him, and Jim laughed.

"You're probably right," he said, and then, again; "I miss you guys."

“We miss you, too,” Spock replied.

"I heard about the rocks falling from the sky. Was a real mess here in the city, too," Jim continued, running a hand through his hair again. A nervous habit, perhaps, but he felt like he had to keep doing something with his hands besides just holding his PADD up. "They've been investigating how serious it is," Jim continued, "but so far we don't know. Apparently, Starfleet's been slow with releasing a statement. Anyway, I've been trying to keep track, no one from our town has gotten hurt, right?"

"Yes," Spock said.

"No," Leonard said simultaneously.

 

On the screen, Jim watched Spock and Leonard look at each other, and for some reason, Jim got increasingly more anxious. "Guys?"

Leonard opened his mouth to speak, but Spock raised his hand. "Jim," Spock said, "we did have a casualty here. When the rocks started falling, your father--"

"Your father was freaking murdered, Jim," Leonard finished Spock's sentence.

"The Justice Department ruled it a death by falling rocks," Jim heard Spock argue with Leonard, and on the screen, he watched the two of them bicker, but Jim no longer registered the conversation in his mind.

 

Jim kept his eyes trained on the screen, but he couldn't get himself to hear a word. Instead, Jim let he news of his father's passing sink in. His father, George Kirk, who never even got sick, couldn't die just like that.

"What-- what are you talking about?" he demanded, and finally, both his friends were silent.

"I found him in the woods, Jim," Leonard said, "at the creek. He was stabbed. Don't you believe the reports when you get to read them. I'm a doctor, I know a stab wound. George was murdered. I'm sorry, Jim. I'm so sorry."

Spock bit his tongue, visibly so. Jim sat there quietly, frozen in place. "This can't be real. He was fine. Why would... why would someone kill him?"

"I don't know," Leonard replied.

"We can't rule it murder," Spock said, silencing Leonard before the other could protest, "it could be suicide. Could be an accident. It could still be the falling debris."

Jim needed time to process this. As much as he needed the comforting voices of his friends around, he needed time to think. "What about mom?" Jim asked, forcing himself to hang on just a little longer.

"She's devastated," Leonard said, "but she's okay."

"Keep an eye on her," Jim said, "I need to go. I'll call you."

"Jim-" Leonard started, but Jim shook his head.

"I gotta go," and like that, Jim hung up.

 

What was he even doing here? Jim's immediate thought was to be with his mother. To have the support from his two best friends when he asked for it - and even when he didn't. Jim wasn't home, he was here, and he was alone.

 

Now sitting on the floor in front of one of the giant windows, Jim looked at the city streets below them. People were still just going places. They were walking, laughing, dancing outside one of those obnoxiously loud clubs. They had the time and the energy to do that, because their jobs were different. Their jobs weren't about producing food, they sold it to each other for ridiculous prices, and the people here were happy to pay for it. Foreign foods from tropical planets, and Earth, and even for the harvests right here in their own country; harvest they could get nearly for free if they traveled into the countryside.

He knew none of these people, and he couldn't care about them as much as he cared about his mother. His mother, who was alone, just like Jim. Probably mourning his father, just like Jim. He had to go see her, that much he knew. Pushing himself up, he walked through his cold and empty apartment towards the elevator.

 

It was the middle of the night, so Jim didn't think he could enter without waking the man up. He didn't even think he could enter at all without some sort of key or password, but the doors to the elevator moved open, and Jim stepped inside.

Governor Kodos' floor looked the same as Jim's. Big, spacious, modern furniture that looked too new and not very lived in. The man was still awake, sitting on a chair at his dining table, which, due to its large size, somehow made the man seem very alone.

“Do you ever sleep?” Jim asked, his voice almost breaking as he spoke, but he wasn’t going to let anyone see how upset he was. Not quite yet.

Hearing Jim’s voice, the governor smiled. A gentle smile, like that of an old man. “I get a few minutes of rest now and then,” he replied, finally looking up from his PADD. Seeing Jim – he must have looked awful, because Kodos instantly frowned and got up.  “Are you alright?”

“I need to go home, sir,” Jim said, “I need to see my mother.”

“Well, whatever the situation is, we’re about to-”

“My father is dead,” Jim replied, unable to fight his own tears this time, because saying it out loud suddenly made it very, very real.

Instantly, Kodos pushed himself up on his feet. He walked around the table, and Jim felt a strong hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," he said, "do they know how he passed?"

Jim hesitated, the conflicted messages from Spock and Leonard making him confused about his father's passing. "Reports say the moon debris," he managed, and Kodos frowned.

"We've been increasing our security and medical teams since the first accident," he said, "I'm sorry-"

"My friend says he's been murdered," Jim admitted, to which Kodos rose an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"My friend's a doctor. He saw my father's wounds. My father was murdered and I need to go home to be with my family.”

“Jim,” Kodos sighed, the hand not letting go of his shoulder, “was your friend close to your father?”

“Yes, of course,” Jim replied.

“Do you think there may be a possibility his judgement could be clouded because of his grief?”

 

Jim didn’t think about that. He didn’t want to think about that, either. There were bigger concerns right now. His father was dead. Finally, Kodos let go of Jim’s shoulder, and asked: “Would it make you feel better if we reopened the investigation?” to which Jim nodded.

“Yes,” he said.

“Then we’ll do that. I’ll have them investigate first thing in the morning,” Kodos promised, “now, I realize you want to be with your family, and you have every right to want that. But I can’t let you travel back right now.” Jim opened his mouth to protest that, but Kodos had another suggestion prepared; “how about you get your friends and your mother here? They’re welcome to spend a weekend with you in the capital.”

That wasn’t what Jim wanted, but at the same time, having his family here would also help. Jim also couldn’t argue he wanted to go home because he felt like it, so he nodded.

“Okay,” he said.

“Okay,” Kodos agreed, walking Jim to the elevator. “Take your time to rest, son. Tomorrow, I’ll see to it that George Kirk’s case receives proper investigation, and we’ll arrange a trip for your friends and family.”

“Thank you,” Jim said, and Kodos shook his head.

“It’s the least I can do,” he said, and when the elevator doors opened, he wished Jim goodnight.

 

Jim walked through his apartment quietly, the only sound he heard were his feet on the glossy wooden floors, and the rain gently hitting the window. He let himself fall down on his bed and picked up his PADD, briefly considering calling Leonard, or Spock, or his mother if he could figure out their contact numbers. He didn’t call either of them, and instead, he cried himself to sleep that night.


	7. Chapter 7

Jim was emotionally compromised - he was in bed for two days. Then, he called his mother and they talked for hours. Winona cried, and Jim tried his hardest to keep a straight face himself. They talked childhood memories; about George getting angry every time Jim stole the last sweets from the cupboard. About how proud George had been when Jim took his father's motorcycle apart completely, even if he hadn't been able to put it back together without help. Jim remembered George whisking Winona away for a weekend on their anniversary, leaving Jim with Leonard's family.

 

“Listen, Jim,” Winona had said, “you’re in the most influencing place on the whole planet. If there is anyone here who can get things done, it’s you. Don’t let this get you down for too long. Didn’t Kodos say you could invite Leonard and Spock over?”

“Yes,” Jim said.

“Do it. Arrange for them to come over.”

“He said you could come over, too,” Jim said, but Winona shook her head.

“I can’t,” she replied, “I closed that door when I left the capital. Hey, Jim, if you ever end up in trouble, you remember who to go to, right?”

“Yeah. Mr. Pike, I remember.”

“Don’t forget it,” she said, “he’s a good man.”

 

After saying goodbye, Jim finally pushed himself off his mattress, and he took a long shower. His mother was right; he could get his best friends here, and if he wanted them to be, he had to start arranging that.

 

~*~

 

Leonard feared many things these days. Sicknesses. Moon pieces falling from the sky and killing people. Whatever it was that made the crops look terrible. He feared that the extra hours the government had given the guards ‘to ensure the security of the people’ was wearing Spock down. He feared Winona Kirk’s mental health, and made sure to spend a lot of time with her. Even if it were just the two of them drinking tea, grading her pupils’ test papers, and to talk. She had never been alone, and in the span of one day, she’d lost both her husband and her son.

Still, as much as he feared everything, it paled in comparison to what he saw in front of him, on a rainy Saturday morning in late summer.

 

“A shuttle?” he asked, turning to Spock. “We’re flying to the capital in a shuttlecraft?”

“Not my choice of vehicle either, but it’s among the safest ways of travel,” Spock replied.

“I’m not going to fly in a God damn metal closet,” Leonard complained loudly. Uhura approached the two of them, preventing Spock from arguing Leonard's comments, and so Leonard sighed and took his distance to give them privacy. “Go say goodbye to your friend.”

“Where are you going?” Spock asked.

“I need some fresh air,” Leonard said, which translated to him needing some inner pep talk to get himself to set foot in that shuttle.

“We’re outside!” Spock argued that, but then Uhura demanded his attention, and that was something he was willing to give her.

 

“Are you going to be safe in the capital?” Uhura asked, and Spock nodded.

“It’s just a visit,” he replied.

“Not many people get to visit the capital,” she said, “I’m a little envious, it’s supposedly very beautiful.”

As a response, Spock smiled. In lieu for anything else, he said; "Good luck over the next few days."

"I don't need luck, I've got skill," Uhura replied, and Spock nodded.

"I don't doubt that."

"Are you guys done doing that awkward goodbye-thing or what?" Leonard called out, and Spock huffed.

"I'll see you soon. Don’t get in trouble," Uhura said, and he stepped inside the shuttle.

 

Being inside the shuttle was worse than being outside it. Leonard never felt particularly claustrophobic, but he could add that to the list of fears induced by being airborne. There were windows, and Spock sat next to it to stare outside and watch the rapidly changing landscapes. Little villages and small towns they had never seen and never even heard of. Other than that, mostly fields upon fields with livestock, timber, and crops. The sight of them flashing by made Leonard nauseous, though, and so he turned his attention to Spock instead.

 

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Leonard said, and Spock raised an eyebrow.

"We're equally matched when it comes to standardized tests, Leonard," Spock replied, and Leonard huffed.

"Not when it comes to girls."

"What are you talking about?" Spock asked.

“When a girl says; ‘Oh, I heard the city is so beautiful’ you reply with; ‘not as beautiful as you’, dumbass. You don’t go telling her off by wishing her luck at her job. She’s good at her job. We literally already needed her help once.”

“What we needed from her was illegal, which is the very opposite of her job,” Spock protested.

Leonard snorted, and he looked out ahead of him, fingers curling a little tighter around the armrests of his seat. "You're a blind fool. What girl goes to visit you at the crack of dawn just to say goodbye?"

"She had an early shift," Spock said, "and you're one to talk."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Leonard asked.

"Just try not to get too excited when we see Jim tonight."

Leonard opened his mouth to protest, but Spock raised his hand, a smile smug on his face, and he looked outside the window again. “The only reason I’m going to be excited is because it’s not just your green-blooded ego I have to talk to,” Leonard muttered under his breath, though he made sure Spock heard when he said it.

 

Traveling did get easier as time passed. Leonard managed to relax; filling in his medical logs to keep himself busy. Spock seemed to be doing the same for his own work. The slightest tremble, or a hint of turbulence, though, Leonard did find himself grabbing on to Spock’s arm for support, and despite their earlier quarrel, Spock let him. Leonard wouldn’t say so, but he was incredibly grateful for it.

 

“He knows Mrs. Kirk isn’t joining us, right?” Spock asked a while later, shortly before their arrival. Breaking the silence was a nice change, even if Leonard had finally managed to almost doze off into a short nap.

“He knows,” Leonard said, “I’m pretty sure he knows she can’t be near Kodos.”

“I hope he’s not disappointed about it.”

“We’ll distract him if he is. That’s why we’re going there in the first place,” Leonard said, instinctively clinging tightly to the armrests of his seat when the shuttle started descending.

 

 

The first thing Leonard noticed when the doors opened, was that the sky looked different. Lack of the moon aside, the night sky looked almost yellowish in the lights coming from the city. It blocked the countless number of stars that scattered the sky and were always so clearly visible on the countryside. The city itself, too, looked so different than what they were used to. Tall buildings, lights everywhere, even from the small aircraft station, they could hear the bustling city noises.

“I don’t think curfew is a thing here,” Spock said, and Leonard nodded. The place sounded too alive for that. He opened his mouth to say so, but instead, Jim interrupted them.

 

“Guys!” He yelled from where he was standing; across the street in front of a sleek, black hovercar. He didn’t even hesitate; he just charged straight for the two of them, running as quick as his feet could carry him. Before either of them could say anything, or properly brace themselves for impact, Jim swung his arms around both their shoulders pulled them both in for a tight hug. “God,” Jim breathed, voice muffled when he had his face pressed against Spock’s shoulder, “I missed you guys so much.”

 

Leonard wanted to hold on to the guy in his arms a little longer, but Jim pulled away so fast. There was a smile on his lips; bright as ever, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes that told Leonard he'd still been grieving his father's passing. Either that, or something else was bothering him they hadn’t spoken about. For now, though, Leonard didn’t mention it.

“Are you guys hungry? There’s so many types of food I want you to taste. There’s this Earth thing called pizza, and it’s incredible. I ate myself into a stupor,” he said, turning around to guide them through these unfamiliar roads.

“Is it like your sushi? Because fish and rice doesn’t sound so amazing,” Leonard replied, and Spock said;

“You haven’t forgotten I prefer not to eat meat?”

“Of course not,” Jim said, “there’s plenty to go around. We’ll find something we all enjoy.”

 

Jim did not exaggerate. The sheer number of people, food stands, restaurants, places to sit and enjoy the warm summer night; they were in excess compared to home. Leonard looked around in awe, at how tall buildings rose around them when they walked the streets of the capital.

“What are these people’s jobs?” Spock asked curiously, and Jim shrugged.

“I haven’t entirely figured it out, there’s many different professions here. A lot of trading, commercial, and research jobs.”

“But none of them produce any food?”

“No, they just sell it, mostly.”

“That sounds illogical; what if we stopped delivering them our produce?” Spock asked.

“That’s… well, that’s against the law,” Jim said.

“They would starve,” Spock answered that question for himself.

“Seems to me like there’s food aplenty,” Leonard replied to divert the topic, “most of these dishes I’ve never even heard of. I bet there’s even a Vulcan restaurant, should we look for one?”

“Yes, in a city filled with exotic foods you’ve never heard of, let’s go with the most boring of all meal options,” Jim said, though with a witty smile, and then he nodded. “Let’s go.”

 

They did find one Vulcan café, and they drank bland tea with bland soup while Spock spoke about his first few weeks as a Patrol Guard. About the long hours, about how Uhura makes them do extra rounds sometimes, to visit the elderly townspeople and make sure they’ve had their share of food. About how Uhura spent her free day to search for a young boy’s lost cat, and how Spock had helped, and they found it later in the boy’s own home. He mentioned how the moon debris added another 12 hours to his shift once because they had to find a farmer's lost cattle and clean up the bloodshed, and Leonard's gaze turned to Jim instead. Jim was keeping a straight face, even if Leonard could tell that wasn't entirely genuine.

"Are you alright?" Leonard asked, and Jim nodded.

"Yeah," Jim said, "I'm fine. You guys are here now.”

 

Jim didn’t talk about his feelings. Never really did. He shrugged off losing a high school girlfriend by getting drunk on his father’s beer and spending excessive amounts of time just with Spock or Leonard until he was okay. Come think of it, the sudden invitation to the capital must be the exact same thing. Leonard didn’t press it, though. Not now. Because if it was attention Jim needed, he could get it.

“Tell us about what you’ve been doing,” he suggested, and that perked Jim up a bit.

“Mostly exploring. The first few weeks I was just eating a lot. Kodos said I ate like a starved child,” Jim said, ignoring Spock’s scoff as he said it, “but now I’m joining him when he goes around doing speeches and talks. I don’t really say anything, but he thinks it’s good that people see my face. He wants me to talk to the farming families, as soon as they have a plan for the whole moon situation.”

“Yes, what is the moon situation?” Spock asked, “it’s been weeks now.”

“That’s classified,” Jim said, to which Spock and Leonard raised their eyebrows, and Jim grinned; “I’m kidding. I mean, I’m not kidding, but if I knew, I would tell you immediately. Kodos said Starfleet’s been cleaning up the debris up there, to stop rocks from falling, but the largest pieces are as big as the city, if not bigger. They’re not so easily cleaned up.”

“So, what do you need to talk to the families for?” Spock asked.

“Because that kind of work is expensive, and we’ll probably need more of their resources.”

“ _More_ of their resources? You realize most of the harvest already ends up here in the city, right?”

“Guys,” Leonard said, “can we talk about something else?”

 

Getting drunk used to mean going to the hill, to sit under the trees and look at the stars. Now, getting drunk was in Jim's apartment. They sat on the floor in front of the giant window, overlooking the city. It took perhaps half a bottle of bourbon before Jim and Spock were bickering like they used to; arguing about everything and nothing. Leonard wasn't really listening; he looked at the two of them, and how different they were in posture. Jim gestured wildly when he spoke, to the point that he almost knocked the bottle over that was standing next to him on the ground. Spock; the very opposite. Stoic and calm, but he made sure to continuously tell Jim how his argument was entirely illogical and incorrect. They were so different, but Leonard loved them both. He wouldn't say it, not directly, but he did. Resting his head against the cool glass windows - the capital be damned. All its lights and sights were vastly overrated. The only thing Leonard cared about was already right in front of him.

 

"I'm going to get a glass of water," Spock said, getting up on his feet a little wonkier than usual because of the alcohol in his system. He didn't get drunk as quickly as Leonard and Jim did, but the human half of him was affected by liquor no different than the other two boys, and Leonard grinned as he watched Spock walk to the kitchen area.

With the newfound privacy, though, Jim turned to look at Leonard with a smile. A fond smile, Leonard had seen it before. Jim smiled with his eyes, as well as his lips.

"What?" Leonard asked, and Jim shrugged.

"I'm just happy you're here," he said.

Leonard huffed in response before adding: "Me, too."

 

Jim shifted closer, leaning back against the window, too, and he turned his head sideways. His face was lit up partially by the city lights, and Leonard could still see that glint of sadness in his eyes. Leonard reached out, a hand resting on Jim’s leg, and he squeezed it gently.

“I’m here if you need to talk.”

“We are talking,” Jim commented.

“I mean about your Pops.”

Instantly, Jim turned his gaze away. He didn't say anything; instead, he brought the bottle of bourbon to his lips and he took a large swig. Leonard didn't move his hand, though, kept it on the other's leg, and Jim eventually reached out. Leonard felt Jim's hand on his own, and he thought that meant Jim was going to push it away. Instead, Jim's fingers curled around Leonard's, holding on to him tightly. Jim didn't talk about his feelings, no, but he said all he needed to say right there, right then.

“You didn’t even bring us a glass?” Jim spoke, so suddenly that it nearly startled Leonard, and only then he noticed Spock returned to the two of them. Jim finally pushed Leonard’s hand away, and the moment Spock sat down, he grabbed the glass of water to take a sip.

“That’s highly unsanitary,” Spock replied, though with a grin, and the three of them laughed.

 

Like the blink of an eye, though, Spock could turn serious. “You have a very stocked fridge.”

“Yeah,” Jim shrugged, “I think someone restocks it every other day.”

“You have someone who restocks your food? Do you even eat at home, ever?” Spock asked.

“Of course I do! I eat breakfast,” Jim said, “Leonard’s always been hammering on about how necessary breakfast is.”

“Damn right,” Leonard agreed.

“So, I eat breakfast at home. I don’t cook, if that’s what you’re asking,” Jim said.

“No, what I’m suggesting, is that it’s ridiculous that you have someone whose sole job is it to keep food in your fridge,” Spock said, “all kinds of food, too. If my father didn’t occasionally bring luxury foods home with them, I never would have tasted half of the things you have in your fridge. Most people in our town have never even heard of the things you have in there.”

“Oh, well aren’t you privileged,” Jim replied.

“Not my point.”

“I know what your point is, Spock.”

“Do you?” Spock asked, “do you really?”

“Yes, damnit. You don’t think I know it’s ridiculous that there’s more food here than we’ll ever have back home? I’m aware of that, Spock. You don’t need to tell me that.”

“ _Guys_ ,” Leonard said, a direct repeat from earlier that night, “shut the hell up, for fuck sake.”

Jim gritted his teeth, visibly so, but he nodded. “Yes, okay. I’ll show you guys the bedroom. Perhaps you’re just tired, right? It’s been a very long day. We’ll hang out more in the morning.”


End file.
